Steam-pump.



B. 0. GAGE.

STEAMPUMP. grrmoumn FILED DEO.16,1908.

914,037.. Paten ed Mar. 2, 1909.

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B. O. GAGE. l

STEAM PUMRI APPLICATION rump DEO.16,1908.

914,037, r Patented Mar. 2, 1909. I

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TBS AT BURT O. GAGE, OF WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WARREN STEAMPUMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed December 16, 1908. Serial No. 467,884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURT O. GAGE, a citizen of the United States,residing in Warren, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Im rovement in SteamPumps, of which thefo lowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like characters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention is embodied in a steam pump, and relates mainly to thevalve mechanism which governs the admission and exhaust of steam to thesteam cylinder or cylinders of the pumping engine.

The engine is shown embodied in a twin pumping engine comprising twosteam cylinders and a valve actuating mechanism common to both, theorganization being such that the pistons in the two cylinders make theirstrokes simultaneously but in opposite directions.

The main object of the invention is to provide for the prompt removal ofwater of condensation from the valve driving engine, and therebyeliminate difficulties sometimes encountered in pumping engines of thisclass due to the accumulation of water of condensation in the workingparts of the valve driving engine which interferes seriously with theproper operation especially when steam is first turned on to set thepump in operation after it has been at rest and has become cool.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the steam cylinders and valve drivingengine of a twin pumping engine with the bonnets or top plates of thesteam chests removed, and showing the valves contained therein; Fig. 2is a sectional plan, on line x Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevation ofthe cylinder of the valve driving engine on a larger scale, the bonnetand side walls of the steam chest and the valve being removed, showingthe face of the valve seat and the port openings therein; Fig. 4 is atransverse section of the valve driving engine on the plane indicated at0: Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional plan on line 00 Fig. 4; and Figs. 6 and7 are a back and face view, respectively, of the controlling valve ofthe valve driving engine.

The general arrangement of the main steam cylinders and their steam[chests and controlling valves, and .of the valve driving engine foroperating the same, may :be the same as is commonly employed in what areknown as twin pumping engines in which there are a pair of steamcylinders, the main actuating pistons in which make their workingstrokes simultaneously, but in opposite directions. In the embodiment ofthe invention herein shown, the main cylinders are represented at 2, 3,Figs. 1 and 2, each cylinder having a suitable steam chest, marked 20and 30, respectively, and into which steam is admitted from the steampipe 5 (Fig. 1), said steam chests containing the main valves 6 and 7which control the admission and exhaust of steam in the usual manner.The main valve 6 for the left hand cylinder is shown as a D slide valve,and the valve 7 for the right hand cylinder as a B slide valve, saidvalves being connected with and operated by a rod 8 actuated by thepiston 9 of the valve driving engine, said piston 9 working in acylinder 10 and being controlled as to its 0 V eration by the governingor controlling va ve 12 which will hereinafter be described. Byemploying a D valve in one, and a B valve in the other of the steamchests, the main cylinder and their ports and valve seats may be alike,and the simultaneous movement of the two valves in one direction, say tothe right from the position shown in Fig. 2, will cause steam to beadmitted to the lower end of one cylinder and to the upper end of theother (to the lower end of the left hand and upper end of the right handcylinder when the valves are moved to the right from the position shownin Fig. 2) and the exhaust will be from theopposite end of each cylinderto that into which the steam was admitted.

The cylinder 10 of the valve driving engine stands in horizontalposition, and the valve 12 which governs the admission and exhaust ofsteam for operating the piston 9 of the valve driving engine works in avertical direction, its rod 14 (see Fig. 1) being operated by a tappetarm 15 to shift the said valve 12 about as the main pistons complete aworking stroke, so that the valve actuating piston 9 will then be causedto make its working stroke to shift the mainvalves 6, 7, and therebycause the main pistons to make their next stroke in the oppositedirection to the one just completed.

With the usual location of the ports leading to the ends of the cylinder10 of the valve driving engine, said ports would enter the cylinderabove its lowest point, and an opportunity would thus be afforded foraccumulation of water of condensation in the said cylinder, and as theports of the valve driving engine .are relatively small, suchaccumulation'of water is liable to clog the ports, and to interfere withor wholly obstruct the opera tion of the valve driving engine,especially when steam is first turned 011 to start the operation of thepump. In order to provide for the prom t drainage of the cylinder andports of t e valve driving engine, the steam chest for the said valvedriving engine is located as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 below thecenter or axis of the cylinder, and steam admission ports 16, 17 areprovided leading from the upper part of the valve seat 18 in the steamchest 19 of the valve driving engine to the ends of the cylinder 10, asbest shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and independent exhaust ports 20, 21 areprovided leading from the valve seat 18 to the ends of the cylinder 10at the level of the lowest portion thereof, as best shown in dottedlines, Fig. 4.

Steam is admitted to the steam chest 19 through a port 23, best shown inFigs. 3 and 4, which communicates, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,with the steam chest 20 of one of the main engine cylinders, so thatsteam is admitted to the chest 19 of the valve driving engine as soon asit is turned on through the main steam pipe 5 (Fig. 1) to the steamchests of the main engine to start the operation thereof.

An exhaust port 24 (see Fig. 4) formed in the cylinder of the valvedriving engine similar to the steam port 23, just described,communicates with the main exhaust passage 50 (see Fig. 2) from the mainengine cylinders, and has a port opening 25 (see Figs. 3 and 4) into thevalve seat 18 of the valve driving engine lying between the portopenings of the exhaust ports 20, 21 leading to the ends of the cylinder10 of the valve driving engine, said exhaust port openings beingarranged in horizontal alinement, as shown in Fig. 3, and on the levelwith the lowermost part of the cylinder 10, so that any water ofcondensation which may accumulate in the said cylinder 10 naturallydrains away by gravity through the exhaust ports. When the valve drivingpiston 9 makes its movement toward the end of the cylinder which is incommunication with the exhaust, the steam inlet port 16 or 17 throughwhich steam is at this time being admitted connects the steam chest andcylinder at a substantially higher level, and is, therefore, in nodanger of becoming clogged by any water of condensation that mayaccumulate before being drained away through the exhaust port, as hasbeen described.

The valve 12 of the valve driving engine is provided with a cavity andpassages, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to control the admission andexhaust of steam through the ports 16, 17, 20, 21, above described, saidvalve having a passage or cut-away portion 17 000- operating with thesteam inlet port 17 which is uncovered by the valve 12 when moveddownward so thatthe passage or cut-away portion 170 leaves the valveseat opening of the port 1.7 uncovered and in communication with thesteam chest, while the upward movement of the said valve brings theportion which is not passaged or cut away over the said port opening andthus closes the same.

A passage or cut away portion 160 c06perates with the opening of theport 16, openingor uncovering the same when the valve is moved to itsupward position, and the valve closing the said port opening when in itsdownward position. The passages 160, 170 may be in the form ofrecesses-in the seating face of the valve, as shown, or otherwiseconstructed to afford openings in the seating face of the valve whichare in communication with the steam chest in which the valve works atall times.

The controlling valve 12'is provided with a cavity 250 of the form shownfor controlling the exhaust ports, said cavity being in the seating faceonly of the valve and not in communication with the steam chest. Saidcavity has a central portion which remains in communication with theexhaust port 25 throughout the entire stroke of the valve, and haslateral extensions or branches from said central portion at oppositesides of the middle of the valve, and at difierent levels, as shown,such that the downward movement of the valve brings the left hand branchof the cavity, viewed in the position shown in Fig. 6, intocommunication with the exhaust port 20 leading to the left hand end ofthe cylinder 10, thereby connecting said ports 20 and 25, and permittingsteam to exhaust (or water, if there be any to drain) from the left handend of the cylinder, steam. being admitted at this time through thepassage 170 and port 17 to the right hand end of the cylinder while theupward movement of the valve which, as before explained, cuts offadmission through port 17 to the right hand end of the cylinder, andadmits steam by passage 160 and port 16 to the left hand end of thecylinder, also places the right hand branch of the cavity 250 incommunication with exhaust port 21, and thus connects said port 21 withthe exhaust port 25 and permits steam to exhaust, or water, if there beany to drain, from the" right hand end of the cylinder.

By this construction and arrangement of the ports and controlling valveof the valve driving engine, water of condensation is prevented fromaccumulating in said valve driving engine, which thus operates promptlyand eflectively even if there is considerable condensation of steamgoing on.

Claims.

1. The combination of the cylinder and piston of the valve drivingengine of a steam pump with a controlling valve and valve seat, andexhaust ports having port openings in horizontal alinement in the valveseat, and leading to the ends of the valve driving engine cylinder atthe lowest level of the steam space therein, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2. The combination of the cylinder and piston of the valve drivingengine of a steam pump with a controlling valve and valve seat, andsteam inlet ports leading from the said valve seat to the ends of thecylinder; and exhaust ports leading from the valve seat to the ends ofthe cylinder at a lower level than said inlet ports, substantially asand for the purpose described.

3. In a steam pump, a valve driving engine having a horizontal cylinder,and main valve actuating piston working therein, combined with acontrolling valve and valve seat, and steam inlet ports leading fromsaid valve seat to the ends of said cylinder, and exhaust ports inhorizontal alinement and at a lower level than said inlet ports leadingfrom the valve seat to the ends of said cylinder, said controlling valvehaving passages cooperating with said inlet ports, and a cavitycooperating with said exhaust ports, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BURT O. GAGE.

Witnesses:

J 0s. P. LIVERMORE, M. E. COVENEY.

